Whenever an institution and its chief executive go their separate ways without much public explanation, people naturally wonder what really happened – and sometimes assume the worst. Almost a week after the end of David Trickett’s six-year tenure at the helm of Denver’s Iliff School of Theology, the chairman of the seminary’s board is shedding some light on what happened.

Dr. Frederick Grover, chair of the Iliff board of trustees, connected the change in leadership to the simultaneous adoption of a “new and aggressive strategic plan for Iliff’s future.”

He noted that theological education “is in a time of great flux as more people move away from mainline traditions,” and Iliff is positioning itself not just to prepare future clergy but to make its programming attractive and relevant to the broader community.

“A lot of good things have happened since David Trickett has been the president,” Grover told The Post. “It’s just one of those times when you’re kind of switching gears and trying to take things to a different level, and it requires a different skill set.”

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